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Always an artist. . . Graduated from Moore College of Art, Bachelor of
Fine Arts a long time ago.
35 years as an interior designer was enough, and it was time to retire.
I quickly discovered miniatures as a way to continue being a
designer, but now I was the client and could have just about anything
that I wanted. My first project was a dollhouse even before I had taken
classes to make wooden furniture. In this project I was able to use my
skill at needlework and painting, and I even made a few pieces of wooden
furniture without all of the bells and whistles I soon would learn. I
attended a few inspiring miniatures shows, and I was on my way.
I joined
IGMA
( International Guild of Miniature Artisans) and applied for a scholarship
to the
Guild School in Castine, ME. I must have impressed them because
I did win the scholarship.
This was the beginning of real
workmanship in 1/12 scale wooden furniture. Although I had designed
furniture for 35 years for clients, I didn’t know anything about
power tools or cabinetry joinery. But now that 5 years have passed
and I continued to attend classes at the Guild School each summer, I feel
confident to sell my pieces. And you should see my garage. . .
Tools, tools and more tools. I have made many contemporary and
traditional pieces of furniture. There isn’t room to keep all of
them.
When I needed to make a cylindrical
leg for a piece of furniture, I discovered that this was done on a lathe.
Watching a piece of wood transform while the lathe was spinning captivated
me. I then realized that this tool would allow me to make more than
furniture. I have always had a great love of accessories and have
collected all sorts of vessels, bowls, boxes, and vases in full size. As I
gained skill, I made more and more miniature versions of full scale
vessels.
Discovering the
LATHE led to more tools and
taking more classes. In 2005, I joined The GoldCoast Woodturner’s Club in
Pompano Beach, Florida. I have been active and continue to learn by
attending monthly meetings, demonstrations, and workshops. Currently
I serve on the Board of Directors of the club. Most of the members do life
size turnings and they are amazed at the quality and detail of my
miniature versions.
When I start a turning, the wood
speaks to me and tells me what it wants to become. I carefully examine the
grain and figure of the wood. Every piece is unique and I am often
surprised at the way it takes on a new life as a bowl, vase, box or other
item. I buy most of my wood, but sometimes I get small pieces from my club
members. Some of it is identified, but often it is
MYSTERY wood . My club has
named this wood
FOG wood (Found On the
Ground). I also turn a lot of Wilma and Katrina wood that was felled
during those hurricanes. I also get some wood from local tree trimming
services.
Working on a lathe has captivated me
and earned me the sought after title of
ARTISAN of the Guild. I am
very proud of this accomplishment.
I have been PUBLISHED in MINIATURE COLLECTOR magazine
featuring my Frank Lloyd Wright-Arts and Crafts roombox in the February2004 issue and my CheeseCake Factory restaurant featured in June 2006. I
was then asked to write an article for MINIATURE COLLECTOR on a
favorite style of home furnishing. I chose French Country that was
published in the July 2007 Issue. In a few months my next article will
also be published in MINIATURE COLLECTOR and that is all about
South Beach. This should be lots of fun for miniaturists that want
inspiration for new projects. For several years I volunteered as a docent
in South Beach, Miami.
I hope that you will enjoy my
work and add pieces to your collection of miniatures. (My personal
collection is below.) My shopping
cart will make it easy for you. If you are interested in a
special piece, or wish to see additional views, please e-mail me to
discuss a commission.
Please visit this site often to see new items that are available. I will
also be listing items occasionally on E-Bay. My user name is
DZINRART. |
